Chapter 1

I'm Too Selfish

I rolled my eyes at my twin brother Jeremy's loud cry. As if I'm not aware.

I continued to run my brush through my long red hair, and, when I finished that, I braided it into a single long braid that fell down my back almost to my butt.

I faced myself in the mirror, checking to make sure that my skirt wasn't sideways and my loose peasant-type shirt was sitting right on my body (you may laugh but I've walked out of the house with my skirt sideways more than once and my brothers have "never noticed").

And I didn't need for that to happen today.

Today was the day Jeremy and I took our aptitude tests, as did every other child who was at the age of sixteen or near there.

Our aptitude tests would tell us which faction we belonged in: Abnegation, the selfless ones; Candor, the truthful ones; Dauntless, the brave ones; Erudite, the smart ones; or my faction of Amity, the kind ones.

I unconsciously bit my lip, sliding my long sleeve down my arm to completely cover my wrist as I set about putting my thins in my old patched satchel that was once my older brother's.

Well, not all of us are kind.

I've always found it hard to be kind to everyone, even the rude and arrogant people, and I've found it's very hard to be happy all the time, no matter what, which is what is expected of all Amity, ever.

I've gotten into trouble with Johanna Reyes a few times because of my rudeness and my "inability to be kind," but as they say, the apple never falls far from the tree.

Maybe I should clear a few things up before I continue.

My name is Cressida Rene Alfresco.

I grew up in a household of six: my mom and dad, my older brother Ronan, me and Jeremy, and our younger brother Kristoff.

Ronan, being three years older than Jeremy and I, took his aptitude test and went through the Choosing Ceremony three years ago, and was now a part of the Dauntless faction.

As the rule around here is "Faction before blood," I have only seen my older brother once in the past three years, and that was when we were allowed to visit him mid-way through his initiation training.

He was curt and distant around Mom and Dad, as I expected he would be, but when he took Jeremy, Kristoff and I off to the side for a little bit, he was his own normal self, laughing and joking and being our brother except for the strange warning he gave us: Look out for each other.

At first I didn't understand what he meant by it, but when my parents' angry words and violent acts started being directed at my brothers and I, his warning made perfect sense.

While I had fiery red hair and green eyes like Ronan, and was at a decent height of 5' 9" and had some muscle and weight to me, Jeremy had brown hair and brown eyes, and towered over most people at 6' 3", thin as a rail.

And even though I knew Jeremy was not happy all the time, and even though I knew he agreed with me that we shouldn't have to always be nice to every single person ever, he sure did a really good job at disguising it, whereas I did not disguise my feelings at all.

Which, according to my mother, made me a disgrace to the Alfresco family of Amity, and therefore she was in the right when she punished me, and it was for my own good.

I jammed my foot into my small flats, feeling my face descend into a scowl before I shook myself.

You're happy Cressida. Think about something else.

Kristoff, being three years younger than Jeremy and I, was the baby of the family.

He never got in trouble for anything, always staying kind and happy and helpful, which is just what Jeremy and I taught him to do, as Ronan had made it clear that looking out for Kristoff was our job.

If I looked like a female version of Ronan, then Kristoff looked like a mini-Jeremy. He had the same exact color hair and eyes and was wiry and skinny like Jeremy, the only main difference being that he was only 5' 6" and barely thirteen years old.

I bit my lip and stood in front of the mirror one more time, my bag slung over my shoulder, unable to find anything else to do in my room to keep me from going downstairs.

I loved my brothers with everything I had, but no amount of love for them could make me want to stay in Amity with my parents any longer, even if it meant I could protect my brothers.

I didn't really care what faction my aptitude test gave me, as long as it wasn't Amity.

I looked away from the mirror and headed for the door, unable to look at myself, ashamed as I was with my own thoughts.

Sure, it was selfish of me to wish that. I wasn't too proud of it.

I couldn't help but let a grim smirk sneak onto my face at my next thought, however:

At least I know I won't be getting the Abnegation for my aptitude test results. I'm too selfish to go and live with the Stiffs.

I second Fragmented_Memory's opinion here. Good fanfictions are like a diamond in the rough. Congratufreakinglations for not adding to the pile of cacophonous smut--it's very much appreciated. Five stars and a favorite for you, ma'am! Hopefully you continue this.

I love it already, and I can't wait for the next chapter! I have an idea of her relationship with her brothers and parents, and I also love that there is a name in here I've never heard. In this case, it's Kristoff.

I like it! :) I like the characters' introductions and I feel interested in seeing how the plot will play out!

And, fun fact, I do have a friend named Jeremy and I know what faction MY Jeremy would choose to go to. I'm not going to tell you what faction it is until you write about YOUR Jeremy and then we can see if your Jeremy and mine's are similar. ;)